Long Bed -----> Short Bed conversion questions

[stutaeng]

I see. I'm pretty sure the frames of these trucks are plain mild steel, which is perfectly weldable. Folks have done all kinds of modifications for all kinds of reasons, mostly off-road. If you can weld successfully and know what you are doing and with the right equipment, it's doable. It's just a lot of work.

In that thread the guy moved around leaf springs mounts and other stuff and cut off the excess on the rear. Didn't really follow the details. Me personally, I would cut and shorten the frame on the flat, straight portion, that way every mounting point remains intact on the bed (shorten the wheelbase.) That would be the "right" way to do it in my opinion, but I like long beds myself, LOL.

Side story: My buddy has a buddy that bought a nice square body RCSB. A few weeks later he went down to look at something and saw the frame was hacked...i.e. shortened. Kid was pretty disappointed. I never knew what the thing looked like, so I can't comment.

 

[Cree]

There most certainly is welding involved how do think you will properly mount the short bed. A regular cab long bed wheel base is 131.5", reg cab short bed is 117.5", ext cab short is 141.5", and an ext cab long bed is 155.5"

You have to shorten the frame of a long bed 14" to fit the same dimensions of a short bed truck.

YOU CANNOT JUST MOUNT A SHORT BED TO A LONG BED TRUCK!


There is not a single company that makes a "kit" to do this like you can with the Square Bodies and older trucks.

I think you missed the part where I'm moving perches, not chopping mid frame.

I see. I'm pretty sure the frames of these trucks are plain mild steel, which is perfectly weldable. Folks have done all kinds of modifications for all kinds of reasons, mostly off-road. If you can weld successfully and know what you are doing and with the right equipment, it's doable. It's just a lot of work.

In that thread the guy moved around leaf springs mounts and other stuff and cut off the excess on the rear. Didn't really follow the details. Me personally, I would cut and shorten the frame on the flat, straight portion, that way every mounting point remains intact on the bed (shorten the wheelbase.) That would be the "right" way to do it in my opinion, but I like long beds myself, LOL.

Side story: My buddy has a buddy that bought a nice square body RCSB. A few weeks later he went down to look at something and saw the frame was hacked...i.e. shortened. Kid was pretty disappointed. I never knew what the thing looked like, so I can't comment.

You either have to move perches or body mounts. I'd rather just move the rear end so I only have to pull the bed and drill new holes. I'm pretty capable of doing all my own work, I just needed some insight on a couple details.

 

[618 Syndicate]

What he's trying to tell you is you need to chop mid frame to do it right. Z the frame and fish plate the weld.

 

[MrPink]

I think you missed the part where I'm moving perches, not chopping mid frame.

Nope I caught that point completely. I chose to ignore the blatant stupidity of the way you plan on doing it, and told you the correct and safe way to do it.

What he's trying to tell you is you need to chop mid frame to do it right. Z the frame and fish plate the weld.

^This!

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

If you move the axle farther forward it's going to hit the frame. Then you'll have cut the middle of the frame anyway to put in c-notches. It seems like more work. I guess if you're going to slam it anyway, it doesn't matter.

Edit: I haven't seen a naked long bed frame, so not sure it would hit. Definitely would have to be checked.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Nope I caught that point completely. I chose to ignore the blatant stupidity of the way you plan on doing it, and told you the correct and safe way to do it.

^This!

isnt the reason you cant just hack the end off because this frame isnt just some simple parallel c channel the entire way after the cab to bed transition (perhaps some Heavier models are? chassis cab would be id think)

and because of that, you have either shape or thickness or height changes , width overall... that need to be considered. maybe the perches if you moved them literally just up you would have some hanging in the air and not on the frame, or they would be inside the frame in some amount.. either way not physically possible?

lastly, I could see just the factoroy structure and design just flat out changed frame length only in the mid part and what hes thinking hes gonna do is just something that wasnt ever gonna be the case when it was designed idfk. I know square bodies you cant just do that to them, except I believe chassis cabs (which came in diff length at the very ends ?)

 

[AuroraGirl]

What he's trying to tell you is you need to chop mid frame to do it right. Z the frame and fish plate the weld.

a little jb weld and flex tape got this

 

[Drunkcanuk]

I believe there was an episode of "trucks" years back where they did it the right way on one of these trucks. Like @618 said, cut mid frame, z the cut and fishplate. Any other way is foolish, unsafe and will yield poor results.
If this was an easy thing to do right, there would be a LOT more short beds on the road!!! Lol
Everyone here is just wanting you to do it right and safe.

 

[618 Syndicate]

a little jb weld and flex tape got this

Absolutely!

 

[Cree]

Nope I caught that point completely. I chose to ignore the blatant stupidity of the way you plan on doing it, and told you the correct and safe way to do it.

^This!

I bet you're fun at parties where people have a difference of opinion. I like how you assume I'm an idiot because I'm looking at doing something the way you wouldn't. Way to make a guy feel welcome to a forum bud.

If you move the axle farther forward it's going to hit the frame. Then you'll have cut the middle of the frame anyway to put in c-notches. It seems like more work. I guess if you're going to slam it anyway, it doesn't matter.

Edit: I haven't seen a naked long bed frame, so not sure it would hit. Definitely would have to be checked.

Looking at it, it will still be well aft of the bend. I'll probably put an under bed notch in while I'm in there. I'm waffling between a flip kit and a wishbone 3 link. I still want to be able to throw stuff in the bed, so it'll probably stay on leaf springs.

Guys, people have done this before. I see no difference between cut/welding a frame and just drilling holes when it comes to safety. Yes from what I understand there is a slight taper to the rails moving back. Shouldn't be much of an issue.

To those that are offering the information I asked for, thanks for that! For those offering opinions, noted. I'll be sure to post a thread when I start and document more thoroughly how it goes along the way. You can all laugh and bash me then if it doesn't work. You can bet I'll be test fitting a short box on there before I cut a single thing.